1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the simulation of visual and other sensor images by data-processing means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The general prior art of producing by data-processing means visual representations of objects whose various vertices, edges, and planes are defined by data referred to a system of axes, usually cartesian, is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,603,703 (Warnock), 3,621,214 (Romney et al.), and 3,665,408 (Erdahl et al.). These teach general means for converting such data into a two-dimensional perspective view, with tests for determining which of several overlapping objects will be visible and conceal the others. The scan employed for presentation of the visual image on a cathode-ray tube is a conventional horizontally scanned raster similar to that used in television. U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,729 (Lux) teaches means to cause a mechanical plotter to draw curves or profiles (provided as electrical input signals giving elevation and range for successive radial scans) in which the profile parts which would be out of the field of view of an elevated observer are omitted. The device is not indicated as having any application to electronic image generation, nor does it appear that it could be so applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,442 of the applicant et al. describes a process for producing a compressed data base for a radar land mass simulator.
No prior method is known to the applicant which in simulating a visual scene employs a radial scan with increasing angle of view and suppression of invisible surfaces by a simple angle comparison, nor any in which perspective is simulated by presenting radial vertical sweeps with the sweep azimuth angle as the horizontal coordinate of the presentation. Also, no prior method is known whereby radar, visual and other sensor images can be generated from a common data source.